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Effects Of Bipolar On The Brain

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Losing control of a person's emotions on a daily basis is devastating his or her mind. This disorder people go through is called bipolar. Bipolar disorder can be characterized as the inability to regulate emotions extreme happiness and sadness, also known as mania and depression. Bipolar disorder patients brains have impairments in the frontal cortex, limbic system and the amygdala. These parts of the brain focus on how a person reacts to situations and the biological effects to the body. People can get this disorder any times of their life, but most first episode can be seen in children and adolescents . Mania and depression are affected by different parts of the brain with different symptoms. There are few common symptoms that are similar …show more content…

Looking at people brains that are at a higher risk can be beneficial to understanding changes before and after episodes. Scientist look at these people brains specifically at the frontal cortex, limbic system, and the amygdala for changes. The frontal cortex is the front part of a person brain used for decision making. Transmissions from the frontal cortex is sent to limbic system which is the site for processing emotions. Signals from the limbic system is sent to the amygdala where the brain experiences emotions. (Schneider)

A characteristic related across all mood states is the over activation of the prefrontal cortex. Malfunctions in the frontal cortex may lead to the dysregulation of moods. Mistransmissions on how to react to a situation is a leading possibility to bipolar. Another study shows that the prefrontal cortex of teenagers and young adults have a correlation of abnormalities over time between volume and age. Studies have seen that abnormal connections in the frontal lobe to the limbic system is a factor in bipolar episode changes. (Townsend) …show more content…

Emotion are caused by the stimulation of neurons in the brain in response to situations. Children and teenagers who experience bipolar at an early age tend to lead a life more stressful life and exposure to more treatment types that will affect the illness. A study performed showed that adolescents with childhood-onset showed more negative effects. People with bipolar have a longer time with the illness than people with direct episodic forms. Bipolar being the inability to control a person's emotions of mania and depression are very different. Although, their combined states become more severe over time. Mixed states of depression and mania have a wider range of symptoms that are more severe in comparison to single episodes. Regardless of the two states some symptoms can be seen such as: anxiety, hyperness, rapid thoughts, agitation, and negative self-imaging. (Birmaher) (Townsend) (Swann)

Children are grouped separately from adolescents and adults because of their brain and symptomatology. Children were more likely to have their first episode as mania. Mood lability and irritability was a characteristic of childhood-onset bipolar. Also children had higher irritability than adolescents and adults. Lifetime ADHD was seen higher in childhood-onset bipolar.

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